Zuko's Pet
by CrimsonStainedDragon
Summary: What if Zuko got a pet? How would he find it? What would it's name be? What kind of pet? How would Iroh react? Why am I asking all these questions? Why am I asking them to you! Read to find out! Ba Sing Se-ish setting. I won't lie, there will be some majorly cute parts coming up, and maybe even suspense! The only OC is the pet.
1. First Encounter

_**This is a random side fic. I sort of got this idea that it would be cute if Zuko got a pet, what kind? Read to find out.  
I own nothing but the pet of choice.**_

_**Warning: OOCness...Probably...**_

* * *

Something large had crashed into the quiet street in Ba Sing Se. The crash had woken everyone up on the street, but only a few had seen the Shadow. That is the name it earned. A gigantic black shadow with glowing eyes and silver claws, that was how it was described. It had hissed before disappearing with a single leap into the sky. As interesting as others found it, Zuko could care less, he was more intent on getting the eel his uncle had, for whatever reason, wanted for dinner.

He would be lying if he said he didn't hate eels, they were disgusting, especially before they were cooked. (A/N: I really think eels are kind of gross, you know? As long as I don't have to touch them they're cool.) The man that usually sold them had become a good friend of his uncle, but he was extremely talkative. There was something new that day though, the man, Takada, was glaring at an animal of some kind. Zuko stared at it for a moment, it really was something, covered in sky blue scales with streaks of silver showing through. It had a slightly elongated snout, large ears and silver horns. The most captivating thing about it was it's intelligent, golden eyes, and the soft looking fur that curled thickly from it's forehead, down it's back, and to the tip of it's tail.

Zuko turned away, but it watched him. It watched him pay for an eel. It saw the face he made, but it seemed to focus on the coins that were used. Zuko watched it sweep something forward with it's tail, noting the large tail fin, and realized it had money. Takada seemed amused by it and watched the little creature as well. It slowly pushed some coins out of it's pile, pausing twice to look over what had already been seperated. Once it was done, it swept the unused money of to the side and nudged the rest forward with it's nose.

"...I think he's trying to buy something." Zuko pointed out, raising his eyebrow. Takada gave a questioning look to the boy, but said nothing as he picked up the dragon's coins and handed them over. Zuko recieved a hiss that sounded like a warning.

"I do believe he copied you, so..." Without another word, Takada handed Zuko another eel. Zuko's lips pulled up in disgust as he held it at arms length to the little creature.

"Here," At the word the creature snatched the eel and swallowed it whole, blinking before turning to gather his coins. The poor thing struggled to gather the coins in it's claws, but eventually scooped them up and put them in his mouth.

After it was gone Zuko returned back to the apartment he shared with his uncle, whom would probably be interested in hearing about the strange creature. Thinking about it he did notice the trouble it had with money. Those claws were made for many things, but handling coins was not one of them. He also found it strange how instead of stealing, it chose to buy it's food. "Is something wrong nephew?" Asked the somewhat pudgy man. He had a kind look to his face and gray hair. Zuko looked at his uncle for a moment.

"No, everything's fine." Maybe his uncle didn't need to know about it, at least for now. After all, what's the worst that could happen?

* * *

**So? Please comment, I would love your opinions on how to make this better.**


	2. High Flying Fun

Zuko woke early. He decide that he would go and look for the creature, maybe if he followed it, he could find were it was staying. He got dressed and quickly left, hoping he didn't wake Iroh. He decided to check near Takada's shop first, since that was where he found it. Much to his dismay, it, no he was not there. Zuko wondered momentarily as a disappointed look crossed his face, why he was sure it was a male. It was just a feeling that he was right. Takada appeared next to Zuko.

"Come for your friend?" He asked, raising an eyebrow."The little fellow should be here in a few minutes, he always shows up early." As if on cue it came prancing around a corner, dropping it's coins. It then looked up at Zuko and met his gaze, letting out a soft, affectionate-at least that's what Zuko thought-cooing sound before counting out enough coins for another eel. Zuko's face scrunched up in disgust as the creature ate it whole.

"Your a little eel lover, huh?" It squeaked and looked at him again, then lowered it's -his, Zuko mentally kicked himself- head. The creature began trying to pick up it's coins again, but Zuko held out a hand as if telling him to stop. The creature watched a his friend disappeared, whining, and supressed the urge to knock the boy down when he returned...with a small basket? Now that was confusing.

Zuko put the basket on it's side and swept the coins into it then held it to the creature, he still wondered what it was, well, more like if he was what Zuko thought he was. He wasn't sure if a dragon was a safe pet, or if his uncle would approve of it. Although Zuko smiled slightly at the thought of him returning back to the Fire Nation (Hey it could still happen!) on the back of a mighty dragon, assuming he was large enough to ride when it happened. What would Azula do or say? Would she be jealous? What about his father? If he went home, it would have to be with the Avatar. What would the Fire Lord say if his son return with the Avatar AND a pet dragon that he trained himself?

He was broken from his daydreams when the dragon squeaked at him, and looked at the basket. "Take it." Zuko commanded and, after getting a blank in return the dragon gently grabbed the handle in his mouth, revealing the small, but lethally sharp fangs. Zuko watched as the dragon trotted away, he realized that he seemed to miss the wings on the hatchling, which were as blue as the rest of him and Zuko realized it survived because it lived as part of the sky, with only an earth-bound shadow to find it by.

* * *

What if he's poisonous? Even if he's not...those teeth would be painful. Zuko lay against a wall in the apartment, when he remembered the teeth on the knee-high dragon. He still hadn't told his uncle about this, he wasn't sure how to tell him. It's not like he could just come out of nowhere and say 'I found a live dragon the other day and I was wondering if I could keep it', could he? Maybe, but it wasn't easy, he had tried but then he remembered he remembered how his uncle had gotten his title, "Dragon of the West" and what the Fire Nation did to the dragons. He was worried that somehow, the creature would be hurt.

He continued to put it off for the next week.

* * *

Zuko could not wait, he was going to see if he could ride El that day. He had actually been calling him Eel Lover, since that was all he seemed to eat, but the name was long and sounded a little strange, so he called him El instead. (E from eel+L from lover=EL) He was suprised when the dragon nodded at it's name and nickname. Since that time when they first met El had gone through a major growth spurt, going from knee-high to the size of the one of the war rhino's he remembered using. El was large enough to be ridden in just a week. The little dragon failed to notice the size change as he still acted like he was the smaller of the two.

He had found it's home, and old, abandoned house with an overgrown garden around it. El was not very happy about being followed and made it VERY clear. Zuko shook his head and called for the dragon, who came bounding out of his house and up to the ex-prince. Some how he wasn't knocked to the ground, El stopping just inches in front of him.

"Hey El, how are you?" He asked, expecting a squeak or grumble or something. Instead El looked at him an grinned his dragon grin.

_'Great! What about you?'_ Zuko jumped as he heard the childish voice in his head. He just knew it was El! Before he could answer, El continued._ 'I can talk to you like this now 'cause we've got a Trustbond! Legend says Trustbonds are formed at birth, when an unhatched dragon's soul pairs to a humans. To bad there hasn't been a Trustbond in over...how long has the fighting happened?' _Zuko just stared at the dragon, no stroy he had ever heard even hinted that they could talk.

"When did you...? Never mind, Trustbond, huh? The first in one hundred years, probably since the death of Avatar Roku."

_'That's a really long time...' _El mused, before looking back down at his friend. _'Wanna fly?'_

"YES!...uh...you know how to?"

_'Not a clue. I know I can, I just need to get airborn.' _El lowered his head and crouched down so Zuko could climb on. Said firebender hesitated, but climbed on anyway. He didn't know how to fly, neither did El, might as well figure it out together. Zuko settled himself between El's shoulder blades, nearer to the base of his neck so he didn't get hit with a wing or interfere with El's flight. He let his hands get tangled in the soft fur as he tightened his grip on it. He hadn't thought of what he would do when he was actually on, but it shouldn't be to hard.

El stretched his wings out to their full length and the wing seemed to shimmer with a silver undertone. A light breeze blowing under them made them lift slightly to catch the breeze better. _'Ready?'_

"As I'll ever be." El crouched lower and brought his wings in closer before leaping up into the sky. His wings snapped open to their full height and one beat took them high above the city, the people looked like ants from so high up. Zuko's grip tightened, as they climbed steadily higher. El suddenly stopped stalling in midair with his wings stretched to their fullest extent, relying on the wind to keep them up. "What's wrong?"

'I don't know what to do...you try, your the rider, give a signal!' The panic started to creep into his voice. Zuko thought for a momentbefore leaning forward, El instinctively closing his wings and going into a nosedive, there was no tilt just a straight downward dive. Zuko froze, watching the fast approaching ground. Every instinct told him to move, to do something, but fear held him in place. It felt like his stomach was trying to claw it's way out of his throat and the wind whipped around them wildly, going faster than what was ever thought possible.

El let out a terrified shreik and Zuko saw the rooftops, and the horrified people below them. At the very last second he pulled upwards, El suddenly pulling out of the dive and running parallel to the ground at the same speed as the dive. They were right above the peoples heads, not over the rooftops like he was planning, and Zuko leaned far to the left, forcing El to fly sideways through a narrow street before They finally managed to pull above the rooftops.

* * *

The finally managed to land, the rest of their flight had gone quite smoothly, and Zuko was glad to be back on solid ground. Maybe tomorrow he and El would fly outside of the city to find a better place to practice flying.

* * *

**So? Should Iroh find out about Zuko and El next time or not. If so, how? All ideas welcome.**


End file.
